Councilors press for better contractor communications as multi‑million‑dollar projects disrupt downtown

Multiple council members and city staff urged improved communication and coordination with contractors working on several major infrastructure projects in Clarksburg, citing unannounced street closures, inconsistent flagger direction and a lack of timely information for businesses and first responders.

Council member remarks described repeated, ad hoc road closures and instances where police and business owners were not promptly notified, creating safety and traffic-routing problems. One councilor said contractors had closed streets “at random and not even tell[ing] the police department,” and another described citizens and downtown businesses being surprised by rapid, unannounced closures.

City staff and councilors discussed options to improve communication: designating a single city point of contact for contractor updates; sending email or text alerts for road closures and boil-water advisories; convening more frequent coordination meetings among the water board, gas utilities and city departments; and contracting a construction liaison or road inspector to act as an on-the-ground coordinator. A city staffer said many departments are already working long hours on the projects and that additional resources would be required to implement proactive outreach.

Councilors suggested weekly briefings or a regular press conference with key stakeholders to provide consolidated updates. One councilor requested that staff explore an alert system that could push notices to residents and downtown businesses when closures or detours are planned.

No formal motion or ordinance resulted from the discussion. Council directed staff to explore communication improvements and to report back with recommendations.